Trophy Fish Award Program

 The Trophy Fish Award Program recognizes and rewards angling skill. Successful anglers will receive a:

• Certificate of Merit
• Bronze pin for your first fish of merit.
• Silver pin for your fifth fish of merit.
• Gold pin for your tenth fish of merit or a new state record fish.

General Rules: Saltwater/Freshwater Fish

• Youth Category is defined as anyone 15 years of age and under.
• Female anglers can qualify for both youth and adult state marine records.
• Saltwater entries must be caught by boats leaving and returning to Connecticut ports. No overnight stays in another state prior to day(s) of fishing.
• Entries must be filed on the Official 2013 Trophy Fish Award Affidavit
• Fish must be caught by legal methods, played by only one person.
• Fish must be entered within 30 days of capture.
• Fish caught in hatchery ponds are not eligible.
• Fish must be caught during Connecticut’s legal open season.
• A clear photograph of the fish must accompany the Affidavit Form.
• Fish must be weighed on scales certified in Connecticut (tackle shops, local markets or delis) or other state certified scales.
• Please note: for all potential State Record Fish, a print out of weight from a certified scale must accompany affidavit.

Marine Qualifying Area Categories

• Nearshore: Inside Long Island/Fisher’s Island Sound
• Offshore: Outside Long Island/Fisher’s Island Sound
• Exotic: Rare strays to Connecticut caught inside Long Island/Fisher’s Island Sound & Offshore Waters.
• Freshwater: Caught in freshwater

Catch and Release Category Rules

• All of the General Rules apply except that the fish does not need to be weighed. A witness must be present.
• A clear photo must accompany the affidavit. This photo must include the angler holding the fish and also include the fish next to a measuring (yardstick, ruler, or tape measure) device to clearly show the length of the fish.
• The accompanying photo must be taken at the location where the fish was caught and released.
• Fish can’t be taken from the site and then transported back.
• BLE = best length estimate for highly migratory species.
• Minimum Length = Tip of snout to end of tail.
• Marlin & swordfish—measure from lower jaw to fork in tail.
• Shark species—minimum length is fork length.
• Fish must be released alive!

1 Includes only hatchery-reared broodstock salmon released into the Broodstock Atlantic Salmon waters and supplemental lakes. Wild Atlantic salmon from the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound are illegal to possess and not covered under this Trophy Fish Award program.

2 Good photos (both lateral and ventral shots) will have to be required for identifications.

3 Redbreast Sunfish will require only a good lateral photo.

4 Most sunfish over 10″ are probably hybrids.